Process of making building elements



6 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. A. TOLMAN PROCESS OF MAKING BUILDING ELEMENTS July 3. 1956 Filed Aug. 30, 1951 .Www/...Mw

.NQSN

July 3, 1956 J. A. ToLMAN 2,752,672

PROCESS OF MAKING BUILDING ELEMENTS Filed Aug. 50. 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 HINCL HOLE IN R DOOR KNOB PuNc PAA/51.5 Fo h- JNVENToR.

JomA.T0Zman July 3, 1956 J. A. TOLMAN PROCESS OF MAKING BUILDING ELEMENTS n l n 3 R. a r 0 um t T f m L .@WMN wrm q .K.|\.| :.:wmm W 0 ew mN-Onv DZ .dmzn .hwwwfl 2 dwzql QZOWW .@)JMHEWWWQ 'IT |.|1 WHITE" m H A s Qm|lx` n l 5 h 1 Jo I I Y 0 l o o NWHLDVIHWIPHIM V1||| WN om. @wrcwwnw mmv :I I. .IUSQ b JWN\WWN\ .NN.@\| n kl rl YI, .b @MN mwu ma02- -u wzmswmw QQ glio mvv m2o ZO made 1 5 w O. 5 L. m d .m rllillwmll-[llillilllilioL F l ,Il @HWK July 3, 1956 J. A. TOLMAN 2,752,672

PROCESS OF MAKING BUILDING ELEMENTS f Filed Aug. 30, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 miur-1 `Fuly 3, 1956 J. A. TOLMAN PROCESS OF MAKING BUILDING ELEMENTS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 30, 1951 JNVENTOR. cfa nTo mail?, BY

jlffor'ney.

July 3, 1956 J. A. TOLMAN PROCESS OF MAKING BUILDING ELEMENTS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 30, 1951 BY d /yl United States PatentO 2,752,672 PROCESS OF MAKING BUILDING ELEMENTS John A. Tolman, Hollywood, Calif., assigner to Andean iorporation, Pasadena, Calif., a corporation of Caliorma Application August 30, 1951, Serial No. 244,415 6 Claims. (Cl. 29-455) This invention relates generally to the art of metal working and more particularly to a method for fabricating structural panel units and doors in a continuous process. In my prior application, Serial No. 223,728, led April 30, 1951, there is described and claimed a novel metal door structure, and the object of the present invention is to provide a method by means of which the door structure of the type described and claimed in said prior application or similarly constructed panel units may be made in a continuous process with the resultant economies to be realized therefrom. The economic and structural advantages `of said door are fully disclosed in said prior application and the present invention is concerned with additional advantages to be realized by the practice of a particular method of manufacture of said door and o'f similarly constructed panel units.

With the foregoing object in view, together with such additionalobjects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the provision of a method comprising a succession of steps and the provision of specific materials to be subjected to one or more of such steps in the manner disclosed, by way of example, in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying illustrative drawings which form a part of said specification and in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a door to be manufactured by the method of this application, a portion of the outer panel being broken away to disclose interior construction;

Figures 2 and 3 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views taken on the lines 2 2 and 3 3, respectively, of Figure l and showing particularly the construction at the end and side edges of the door;

Figure 3a is a view of a portion of Figure 3 showing the side stile and panel edges positioned for swaging;

Figure 4 is a ow sheet diagram showing the succession of steps in the practice of the method;

Figure 5 is a top plan view showing diagrammatically the execution of the rst operation in the method;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of Figure 5;*

Figures 7 and 8 are enlarged, fragmentary, transverse views taken on the lines 7 7 and 8 8, respectively, of Figure 6 showing the forming of the edges of the panels by the forming rollers;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic top plan view of the execution of the next operation in the method;

Figure 10 is a side elevation of Figure 9;

Figures 11 and l2 are top plan and side elevations, respectively, of a diagrammatic representation of two of the operations designated as operations 3 and 5 on the ow sheet o'f Figure 4;

Figures 13 and 14 are top plan and side elevations, respectively, of the step indicated as operation 4 on the ow sheet of Figure 4;

Figures 15 and 16 are top plan and side elevations, respectively, showing lthe execution of the step indicated as operation 6 on the flow sheet of Figure 4, a portion of ,of the execution of the uppermost panel being broken away in Figure 15 for clearness of illustration;

Figure 17 is a side elevation illustrating diagrammatically the execution of the step indicated as operation 7 in the ow sheet of Figure 4;

IFigure 18 is a diagrammatic top plan representation of the step indicated as operation 8 on the yilow sheet of Figure 4;

Figure 19 is a diagrammatic representation of a portion the lstep indicated as operation 9 in the iiow sheet of Figure 4;

Figure 20 is a diagrammatic representation of another portion of the execution of operation `9;

Figure 21 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 21 21 of Figure 20;

Figure 22 is an enlarged perspective, fragmentary view showing in detail the execution of the swaging operation of operation 9;

Figure 23 is a top plan representation of the step indicated as operation l0 of the ilow sheet of Figure 4; and

Figure 24 is a top plan representation of the iinal step o'f the method and indicated as Figure l1 in the ilow sheet of Figure 4.

IIn the following specification and in the claims the term panel unit will be employed to designate completed struc'tural units which may be either doors or panels to be installed as partition elements, the principal difference between a door and a panel unit being the provision of openings for a lock in the side elements of the door, said side elements being hereinafter referred to as sheets or panels Thus, while the drawings of the following specification show the s'teps of manufacturing a door, it will be 'appreciated that the omission of the step of forming lock-receiving holes will result in the production of a panel unit adapted for use in the erection of a wall or partition.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figures l, 2 and 3, the door comprises two identical but oppositely formed side panels 1 and 2 formed of sheet metal and held in spaced parallel relation by side stiles l3 and 4, and top and bottom end members 5 and 6, and which enclose vbetween the panels a foraminous core 7. The details of the construction are fully set forth in my said prior application and need not be further referred to here except as such details may serve to provide a better understanding of the invention as hereinafter related.

`Referring next to Figures 5 to 24, in the execution of the method the side panel blanks 8 are first cut to length from the sheet metal material which is generally in the form of rolls of a width slightly wider than the desired width o'f the blank. The blanks are then fed into a trimming and edge forming means along a path dened by guide rollers `9 which engage one .side edge of the blanks. The trimming and edge forming means 10 comprises a pair of driven feed rolls 11 and 12 of less width than the blanks and having shear die rollers 13 and 14 at each end of the feed rolls and mounted on the same shafts 15 and 16 on which the feed rolls are mounted Iand which trim the side edges of the blanks to the exact width desired and in exact parallelism with each other. Adjacent to the feed rolls and trimming dies, the blank then passes through a pair of forming die rollers 17 'and 18 which turn the side edges of the blank upwardly slightly, 'as shown in Figure 7, and 'then through a second pair of forming die rollers '19 and 20 which bend the edges downwardly along a line spaced inwardly from the line of bending of the vfirst bending rollers, giving each edge of the blank a `shallow U-shaped form .such as shown in Figure 8. As the blanks leave the second pair of forming rollers they are gripped by a second pair of feed rollers 21 and 22 which deliver the blank to a conveyor 23 which carries the blanks to the site of the next operation. All of `mon' drive means,

pair for movementin unison.

' punching `32, such as a slab of steel or the like,

7prising an outer leg SSand a youter faces of the 'panel edges.

the preceding rollers are preferably operated from `a comindicated by the `chain and sprocket drive 24 and gears 2S, which `connect the rollers of each y The conveyor- 23 -carries the formed blanks to a punc'hpressf-Z disposed' at one side ofthe path of the Ablanks whichpierces the holes 27 for `the lock `to be used with thei door; the punchpress being provided with locating means 2S to position the blank for punching. The `above-described lforming and operations form the blanks 8 into the side panels 1 and 2 for the door and they will hereinafter be referred to as sheets orpanels, it being understood thatrif the resulting product'is to 'be a .panel' unit, the punching operation would be omitted.

Followingjthe punching'operation'rthe innerfaces of the panels are sprayed'with an-adhesive (see Figure 1l) and one panel is laid in a locating fixture v29 with the adhesive side uppermostand a foraminous core element 7 is placed thereon; the fixture having means to locate the core with the edges thereof spaced inwardly from the edges of the panel. The roll stand 30 is then moved backiand forth over the assembled core-and panel, pressing 'the' core firmly into 'the adhesive. Then the other panel, which has had the inner face' thereof similarly sprayed or otherwise coated with adhesive, is placedon the upper face of the core, and the roll stand 30 passed back and` forth again over the assembly to firmly press the upper panel kagainst the core.

Following this step a plurality of assembled panel and core units are stacked on a truck 31'and a heavyweight is; placed on the stack to maintain the pressure on the' units while theadhesive is drying. The adhesive may be of a type that is airdrying `and is resistantV to humidity, `and which further formsf a satisfactory bond withthe metallic surfaces of the panels as well as with' the core element.

The next step in the process is the assembly of the side Stiles Stand 4 to the assembled panels and core. The stiles are formed from lengths of extruded malleable metal bar of generally U-shaped configuration cut toV the length of then door with the leg portions thereofeachbeing bifurcated. As best shownin Figures 3a and 22, each stile comprises a4 face portion 33 having generally parallel bifurcated leg portions 34 projecting therefrom, each comlonger 'inner leg l36. The legs`35 are ush with the planes ofthe panel outer faces and the inner faces thereof are curved' as at37 to conform to' the shallow U-'shaped bends 3 8 and 39 formed'in the edges of the panels by the rollers inthe first operation. The adjacent 'faces' 40 of 'the legs" 36 are spaced away from the'inner faces of the legs'35 to permit the formed panel edges to be sprungtoward each other incident to the sidewiseinsertion of the Stiles and passage of the curved portions 37 across the edges of the panels, the outward springing ofthe panel edges thereafter serving to hold the Stiles/in position. The opposite faces 41 of the legs 36 are generally parallelvviththe faces d except for a thickened root portion 42 adapted to 'resist deformation, and a slightly thinner portion 43"-a`djacent to the root portion 42 capable of deformation by lateral pressure against the faces 41 thereof. e

`Referring next to Figures 18 to 20, thepa'nel and core assembly with the stiles snapped in place is shown in plan in Figure 18. in practice the panel andcore assembly are placed on one end of an assembling and "swaging means havinga'par of hydraulic c`y1inders45 and 46' mounted at one end'thereof'and positioned axiallyin 'alignment with the interengaging edge portions ofthe Stiles 'and rlhe piston rods 47 and 48 include detachable-ends, connected by pin vand socket connectors 49, 5M.' which at their `own outer ends carry swaging tools@ and At the tirnethe panel'and coresand- 4wich is placed on the vswaging machine theswagingtools '49 andll, togetherfwithth :detachable ends of the piston reds, are1A detached the piston rods proper. The

`the connected piston rod extensions form-best'showrr 25 engaging wire vbrush 59. 'theassernblyhave been vthus surface-finished it is turned lLl and 50 are positioned at one end of the Stiles, lying within the Stiles, and the stiles are then snapped into place at the sides of the sandwich, the relationship being as shown in Figure 18. The hinged leaf-clamping members 51 and 52 at each side of the assembling means 44 are then pivoted into clamping relationship, "the rod extensions carrying the swaging `tools49 and 50 are connected by the pin and slot connectors to the rods proper, and hydraulic pressure is admitted to 'thecylinders v45 and 46 to retractv the rods 47' and '43 and'sol draw the swaging tools through the door with resultant deformation of the inner legs 36 of the stilestoconfor'm'to the inner faces of the curved edges of the panels and consequent locking of the stiles to the panels by a joint, most clearly shown in Figure 22. The swaging tools may be of any desired form but a tool having opposed series of rollers 54 engageable with the tools 49 inner faces of the stile legs 36`-and having afange element 54fe'ngaginglthe' grooves 54"'inthe stile is preferred.

`-lollowing'the'above* described assembly of ythe Stiles with 'the panel' and core assembly; the' enclosure of the corewithinlthe door is completed by the assembly of the end pieces Sa'nd 6. The end pieces are preferablyof the in Figure 2`comprising a generallyrectangulafhollowrnetal barl having one side Vthereof provided with'a slot 55 to be exposed when thebar is used :as a'bo'tt'o'mf--ehd 'member for insertion of a weather'strip. If itheprodu'ct is 'to be a panel 'unit or if no weathe'rstrip is tohelemployedthc endpiece 6 may-be installed with the slotat theinnerface. `rvfaces-"of Ethe end Vmembers are coated with adhesive and -them'embers are'then pressed into place at the ends of yIn this operation the side the assembly, as shown in Figures 2 and 23, 'completing thefasseinbly'of the door "or panel unit.

"The'iinal-opeation is the surface-finishing of the product to'removeany scratches that lmay vhave occurred in the 'previousoperations and to provide a dull, or satin-like surfface, `-thereto.

This operation-.may be conveniently performed',^as\'shown inFigur'e-24, by placing the assembly on lalcarriage""56 Vmounted to be lmoved back'and forth ontracksS'T beneath an angularly disposed rotating wire brush S3 and past a vertically disposed rotating edge- 'When one side'and one edge of 'overandthe'other vside and edge are similarly finished. Since the ends are not exposed to view the above surface- `inishing may be omitted from them.

i From' theiforeg'oing description of the improved method it willfbefappreciated 'that the steps or operations are such that little skill is required to perform anyone of' them and that 'the'product resulting therefrom will' be `of high and uniform qualityy with a `niosteconomical production cost.'- Furtherrnoreythe special equipment where'required is simple in design and 'operation-as well as eiiicient for its intended purpose.

While I'I'have describedf and illustrated a speciiicmethod comprising a series of loperations fo'rl the manufacture of doorsand p anel'units,y such disclosure is by Wayof exam- -pleonlyiand the invention is not'to be deemed to -be llimited-to thedisclosurebut it isintended to embrace all such modifications in the steps and inthe order of succession -thereof as shallcome within the purviewof the appended claims.

I claim:

Vl'.-An1.etl1od-of-manufacturing aisandwich panel-.unit for buildingconstruction, which comprises providing a pair of metal face sheets and a core, bonding said face sheets to opposite sides of said core and with the side edges of said facesheets extending beyond Vthe corresponding edgesof 'said'core,`providing a pair of metal Stiles eac-h having twd bifurcated sidewalls and fitting said stiles over said side edges of said face sheets, the relationship being such"thatl the lexterior ahdinterior bifurcations of `each 'of"`said"stile" side walls "enclose a single face sheet' side idgei-jaxid expanding; said interiori bifurcationsA outwardly to lock the enclosed face sheet side edges against said exterior bifurcations without changing the external shape or configuration of said stiles.

2. A method of manufacturing a sandwich panel unit for building construction, which comprises providing a pair of rectangular metal face sheets and a foraminous core, cementing said face sheets to opposite sides of said core and with the side edges of said face sheets extending beyond the corresponding edges of said core, providing a pair of channel-shaped metal stiles each having two bifurcated side flanges and iitting said stiles over said side edges of said face sheets, the relationship being such that the exterior and interior bifurcations of each of said stile side anges straddle a single face sheet side edge, and moving a swaging tool longitudinally of each of said stiles and between said interior bifurcations to bend the latter outwardly against said exterior bifurcations and thus mechanically lock said face sheet side edges in position without changing the external shape or configuration of said stiles.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said side edges of said face sheets are formed to provide longitudinal grooves and the interior faces of the bifurcations of each of said stile side iianges are contoured to conform to said grooves to increase the locking action created by said swaging step.

4. A method of manufacturing a sandwich panel unit for building construction, which comprises providing a pair of rectangular metal face sheets and a foraminous core, cementing said face sheets to opposite sides of said core and with the side edges of said face sheets extending beyond the corresponding edges of said core, providing a pair of channel-shaped metal stiles each having two bifurcated side flanges and fitting said stiles over said side edges of said face sheets, the relationship being such that the exterior and interior bifurcations of each of said stile side flanges straddle a single face sheet side edge, moving a swaging tool longitudinally of each of said stiles and between said interior bifurcations to bend the latter outwardly against said exterior bifurcations and thus mechanically lock said face sheet side edges in position, and

providing end members at the end edges of said face sheets to effect the sealed enclosure of said core Within the chamber defined by said face sheets, stiles and end members.

5. A method of manufacturing a sandwich panel unit for building construction, which comprises providing a core of predetermined thickness, providing a pair of metal face sheets and bonding the same to opposite sides of said core, the relative sizes of said face sheets and core being such that the side edges of said face sheets overhang the corresponding edges of said core, providing a pair of metal stiles each having two side walls which are respectively bifurcated to form seats for said face sheet side edges, the spacing between said seats of each stile being less than said predetermined core thickness, tting said stiles over said face sheet side edges so that each of said sheets receives one side edge, and expanding the interior bifurcations of said stile side walls outwardly against the exterior bifurcations thereof, whereby said face sheet side edges are locked in said seats to elect holding of said face sheets against said sides of said core and thus supplement the bond therebetween.

6. The invention as claimed in claim 5, in which said expansion step is effected by a swage moving longitudinally of each stile and between said interior bifurcations, and in which said face sheet side edges and the interior surfaces of said bifurcations are contoured to increase said locking action holding said face sheets against said core sides.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

